VOCALIST JERRY HARRIS IS ONE OF NINE CHILDREN BORN TO THE REVEREND NATHAN AND MRS. ELSIE HARRIS IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. AT THE AGE OF THREE JERRY MOVED WITH HIS FAMILY TO SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE SANG IN THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH SERVED AS A STRONG AND POSITIVE FOUNDATION. IT WAS THIS UPBRINGING THAT LED HIM TO UNDERSTAND FIRSTHAND HOW MUSIC MOVED AND UPLIFTED PEOPLE. JERRY REALIZED EARLY ON THAT MUSIC AND HIS VOCAL INSTRUMENTATION WOULD ENABLE HIM TO REACH OUT AND TO COMMUNICATE IN A SPECIAL WAY.

JERRY CONTINUED TO SING AND PERFECTED HIS TECHNIQUE FURTHER BY TAKING VOCAL TRAINING WITH O.V. HAUSCHALDT. IN 1956 HE FORMED HIS FIRST BAND.

WHEN JERRY JOINED THE AIRFORCE HE RELOCATED TO OMAHA NEBRASKA WHERE HE CONTINUED TO SING. HE PERFORMED WITH THE STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND COMBO, WHICH EVENTUALLY LED HIM TO A BROADER AUDIENCE. HE BEGAN PERFORMING AT MAJOR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AS WELL. JERRY'S VOCAL TALENTS ALSO LED HIM TO HOST A TV VARIETY SHOW.

IN 1969, BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA JERRY MOVED TO THE DELAWARE WATER GAP IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE HE CONTINUED TO EXPAND. HIS VOCAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSPIRATION CONTINUED TO GROW AS A RESULT OF HIS GREATEST INFLUENCES INCLUDING ELLA FITZGERALD, SARAH VAUGHN, JOE WILLIAMS AND PHIL WOODS.

JERRY HAS PERFORMED WITH SEVERAL RENOWNED MUSICIANS INCLUDING THE MODERN SOUND, ASPARAGUS SUNSHINE, EQUINOX, PHIL WOODS, AL COHN, BOB DOROUGH, URBIE GREEN, DAVE FRISHBERG, JOHN COATES, JR., RICK CHAMBERLAIN, JIMMY KNEPPER, JESSE GREEN, SHIRLEY SCOTT, TONY WILLIAMS AND MANY OTHERS.

IN ADDITION TO HIS SOULFUL VOCAL TALENTS JERRY HARRIS HAS BECOME QUITE A CHEF WITH HIS CREATIVE GOURMET CUISINE THAT HAS A WONDERFUL BLEND OF HIS SOUTHERN ROOTS AND CARIBBEAN INFLUENCES.

IF HE IS NOT SERENADING AN AUDIENCE WITH SONG YOU WILL PROBABLY CATCH HIM WITH HIS CHEF HAT ON WHIPPING UP ONE OF HIS SPECIAL DISHES.